View source for Western Pomerania Lagoon Area National Park

{{Short description|National park in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany}}
{{Infobox protected area
| name = Western Pomerania Lagoon Area National Park
| alt_name = Nationalpark Vorpommersche Boddenlandschaft
| iucn_category = II
| photo = NP Vorp. Boddenlandschaft.JPG
| photo_caption = Coastal vegetation
| location = [[Mecklenburg-Vorpommern]], [[Germany]]
| nearest_city = [[Rostock]] and [[Stralsund]] 
| map = Germany
| relief = 1
| coordinates = {{coord|54.436|12.909|type:landmark_globe:earth_region:DE|display=ti}}
| area_km2 = 805
| established = 1 October 1990
| visitation_num = 
| visitation_year = 
| governing_body = 
}}

The '''Western Pomerania Lagoon Area National Park'''<ref>[http://www.naturefund.de/en/earth/nature_news/article/article/western-pomerania-lagoon-area-national-park.html ''Western Pomerania Lagoon Area''] at www.naturefund.de. Accessed on 27 June 2012.  {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130702140606/http://www.naturefund.de/en/earth/nature_news/article/article/western-pomerania-lagoon-area-national-park.html |date=2 July 2013 }}</ref> (''Nationalpark Vorpommersche Boddenlandschaft'') is [[Mecklenburg-Vorpommern]]'s largest national park, situated at the coast of the [[Baltic Sea]]. It consists of several peninsulas, islands and lagoon shore areas in the [[Baltic Sea]], belonging to the district of [[Vorpommern-Rügen]].

The national park includes:

* the [[Darß]] peninsula
* the western coast of the island of [[Rügen]]
* the island of [[Hiddensee]]<ref name=RU>{{cite web |url= https://www.ruegenurlaub.de/ruegen-a-z/bug.html   |title= Bug: Lage auf Rügen |author=<!--Not stated--> |date= |website= Ruegen Urlaub |publisher= |access-date= April 28, 2025 |quote=}}</ref>
* the island of [[Ummanz]]
* several tiny islets between the above places
* the multiple lagoons in between the land masses

The national park is characterised by very shallow water housing a unique coastal fauna. All portions of the national park are famous for being a resting place for tens of thousands of [[crane (bird)|crane]]s and [[goose|geese]].

Its area is {{cvt|805|km2}}.

== Composition ==
Approximately half the area of the park is open Baltic Sea; more than another quarter covers parts of the lagoons in the [[Darss-Zingst Bodden Chain]] including the [[West Rügen Bodden]]. Thus it protects these shallow water areas (in the Baltic Sea, the National Park boundary is based on the ten-metre depth contour) with their rich flora and fauna. The differing salt content of the [[brackish]] water habitats of the Baltic and the ''[[bodden]]'' (shallow lagoons) contribute significantly to the local diversity of nature. For example, the [[Atlantic Herring|Baltic Herring]] visits the shallow bays regularly to spawn here.

The territory of the national park includes parts of the [[Darß]] and the peninsula of [[Zingst]] as well as most of the island of [[Hiddensee]]. In addition, a narrow strip of land on the island of [[Rügen]], next to the ''bodden'' lies within the national park. Pine and beech woods, such as the [[Darß Forest]], cover much of the land. In treeless areas there are [[bog]]s, resulting from [[coastal flooding]].

== See also ==
* [[Bug (Rügen)]]

== Sources ==
* {{cite web |publisher=Landesamt für Forsten und Großschutzgebiete Mecklenburg-Vorpommern |url=http://www.nationalpark-vorpommersche-boddenlandschaft.de/vbl/publikationen/ba.pdf |format=PDF |title=Nationalparkplan - Bestandsanalyse |pages=209 |date=2002 |access-date=11 November 2009 |archive-date=11 February 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140211055954/http://www.nationalpark-vorpommersche-boddenlandschaft.de/vbl/publikationen/ba.pdf |url-status=dead }}
* {{cite web |publisher=Landesamt für Forsten und Großschutzgebiete Mecklenburg-Vorpommern |url=http://www.nationalpark-vorpommersche-boddenlandschaft.de/vbl/publikationen/luz.pdf |format=PDF |title=Nationalparkplan - Leitbild und Ziele |pages=76 |date=2002 |access-date=11 November 2009 |archive-date=14 December 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131214011750/http://www.nationalpark-vorpommersche-boddenlandschaft.de/vbl/publikationen/luz.pdf |url-status=dead }}
* Frank Gnoth-Austen, Rudolf Specht: ''Jasmund, Vorpommersche Boddenlandschaft.'' Vehling, Werl 1995, {{ISBN|3-536-00476-8}} (Deutsche Nationalparke, Vol. 2).
* Norbert Rosing, Sarah Fuchs, Klaus Nigge: ''Deutsche Nationalparks.'' Tecklenborg, Steinfurt 1997, {{ISBN|3-924044-29-5}}.

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Nationalpark Vorpommersche Boddenlandschaft}}
*{{Official website|https://www.nationalpark-vorpommersche-boddenlandschaft.de/}} {{in lang|de}}
* {{DNB-Portal|10055791-0|TYP=Literature about}}
* {{LBMV PPN|25156911X}}

{{National parks of Germany}}
{{Pomerania}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:National parks of Germany]]
[[Category:Protected areas of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern]]
[[Category:Protected areas established in 1990]]
[[Category:Fischland-Darß-Zingst]]
[[Category:Lagoons of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern]]
[[Category:1990 establishments in East Germany]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern]]


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